KUCHING: Europe-based NGOs want the European Union and the European Free Trade Association to halt trade talks with Malaysia if outgoing Sarawak Chief Minister Taib Mahmud is made a Governor. Taib is scheduled to receive his credentials from the Yang DiPertuan Agung on Friday, after he steps down from his post as Sarawak’s CM. “We make it very clear that the Malaysian government will have to face political consequences if it backs Taib as Governor of Sarawak”. “The NGO community will pressure the European Union to stall the ongoing timber trade talks under the EU’s FLEGT (Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade) programme,” warned Swiss-based Bruno Manser Fund. While the free trade talks between Malaysia and the EU have been going on since 2010, a first serious round of negotiations between Malaysia and EFTA (Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein) will start next month in Geneva. But BMF plans to inject the issue of alleged corruption in the timber and palm oil sector into the ongoing Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations between Malaysia and the EU as well as with the EFTA. “Malaysia should not be awarded with international trade agreements if the country fails to respect basic anti-corruption norms and protects,” BMF said. It pointed out that if Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak allows Taib to become Governor, he would be personally endorsing the rampant corruption in the timber and palm oil sector in Sarawak. “As a consequence, the EU should stop the FLEGT VPA talks with Malaysia with immediate effect.“ The European Union is Malaysia’s fourth largest export market after Singapore, China and Japan amounting to US$8.9 billion (RM27 billion) in 2012. Taib is expected to step down by the end of this month after 33 years as chief minister in order to become Governor of Sarawak. Critics say the post would grant him immunity from prosecution. Stacked against Taib are reportedly 400 MACC files not to mention global campaigns at various front. Critics have labelled Taib as ‘bad press’ for Malaysia and Najib’s ‘decision’ to propose him for Governor is being viewed with deep suspicion. Sources within Taib’s PBB party in Kuching have speculated that he may have issued a veiled threat of seceding Sarawak from the federation alongwith a generous offer of financial assistance.
Source - FMTBorneoPLus
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